U.S. President Joe Biden has reaffirmed his “ironclad” commitment to Israel’s security and “its right to exist as an independent Jewish state” on the eve of the Passover holiday.
Passover is a Jewish holiday that marks the liberation of the Jews from Egyptian slavery. President Biden said that this year’s Passover falls particularly hard on families with loved ones still held captive by Hamas.
“My Administration is working around the clock to free the hostages, and we will not rest until we bring them home,” the president said.
“We are also working to establish an immediate and prolonged ceasefire in Gaza as a part of a deal that releases the hostages and delivers desperately needed humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians,” he added.
Hamas terrorists killed about 1,200 people and abducted over 250 hostages during their Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israeli territory, triggering Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza, which the Hamas-run health department said has led to over 34,000 deaths.
More than 130 hostages are still held in Gaza as the Biden administration struggles to arrange another pause in the fighting in exchange for their release following a seven-day ceasefire in November 2023.
In his statement, President Biden said that the United States would continue to work toward “a two-state solution that provides equal security, prosperity, and enduring peace for Israelis and Palestinians.”
“And we are leading international efforts to ensure Israel can defend itself against Iran and its proxies, including by directing the U.S. military to help defend Israel against Iran’s unprecedented attacks last weekend,” he said.
His remarks came a week after Iran launched more than 300 munitions—including ballistic missiles, land attack cruise missiles, and one-way attack drones—toward Israeli territory on April 13.
Iran said it was in response to what it claimed was an Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Syria in early April, although Israel never claimed responsibility for that strike.
Israel, with the support of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and other partners, successfully intercepted 99 percent of the projectiles fired by Iran. There has been almost no damage to Israel’s infrastructure, as confirmed by both U.S. and Israeli officials.
Since Israel was able to successfully defeat Iran’s unprecedented assault on its territory, the Biden administration has advised the Israeli government not to pursue any further escalation.
‘Blatant Antisemitism’
President Biden also condemned the “blatant antisemitism” activities carried out by pro-Palestinian groups on college campuses or anywhere in the country as “reprehensible and dangerous.”“The ancient story of persecution against Jews in the Haggadah also reminds us that we must speak out against the alarming surge of Antisemitism—in our schools, communities, and online,” he said.
“Silence is complicity. Even in recent days, we’ve seen harassment and calls for violence against Jews,” the president added.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said that 108 people were arrested for trespassing on the university’s property. Police ensured that there was no violence or injury during the disturbance, he said.
Protesters at Columbia have demanded a permanent cease-fire in Gaza and an end to U.S. military assistance for Israel, as well as the university’s divestment from companies profiting from Israel’s incursion.
